Support for interlocking channels for voting-machines.



W. J. LAUSTERER.

SUPPORT FOR INTERLO KENG CHANNELS FOR VOTING MACHINES,

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 14, 1913.

1 ,1 89,839. Patented July 4, 1916.

WILLIAM J. LAUSTERER, 0F JAMESTOWN, NEW

YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO AUTOMATIC REGISTERING MACHINE CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK. i:

SUPPORT FOR INTERLOCKING CHANNELS FOR VOTING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1, 1916.

Application filed October 14, 1913. Serial No. 795,056.

To all whom it m (53 concern Be it known that I, \VILLIAM J. Lans- TERER, a citizen'of the United States, residing at Jamestown, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supports for Interlocking Channels for Voting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the interlocking mechanism of a voting machine and the object of the invention is to provide a swinging guide for the interlock which will adjust itself to the strains put upon it in voting and move without friction to accommo date the voting devices to their easiest operation.

The present structure is an improvement on the interlock guide of my prior Patent No. 793,666 of July 14, 1905, wherein the channel for the interlock slides lengthwise to prevent the interlocking members from binding. In this prior construction the operation of the interlock may be impeded by a considerable resistance developed in the movement of the parts and by the sliding friction of the guide on its support, especially in a large machine having a large number of grouped office lines. In said patent special mechanism is necessary to return the guide to normal position when the interlock is reset, and an object of this invention is to do away with such mechanism.

The object of this invention is to suspend the interlock guide from the frame of the machine by links sustaining the full Weight of the guide and thus provide a practically frictionless floating support for the guide Which will permit it to swing freely back and forth as the machine is operated. The mechanism is also simplified and frictional resistance avoided. This avoidance of friction is an important consideration, as opposition to the movement of the guide may bind the interlocking members so much as to increase the resistance at the voting keys. According to this invention, the links hang in the general direction of the straps of the interlock and carry the guide at their lower ends. Thus supported, the guide accommodates itself without resistance to the shift of the interlocks and swings in a path following closely the pivotal movement of the suspended interlocking members. In this way the lost motion and friction between the interlocks and the guide are reduced and the parts maintained in proper relative position. The. guide is free to swing with the interlock in any direction and upon the resetting of the machine it naturally swings back to its normal central position.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a rear elevation of a voting machine, and Fig. 2 is a section of line 2-2 looking in the direction of Fig. l. 7

Reference numeral 1 indicates the front plate of the voting machine carrying voting devices from which hang the interlocking straps 2 passing downwardly between inter locking rollers 8 and carrying wedges 9 at their lower ends. When a vote is cast, a strap 2 is raised carrying its wedge 9 upward to spread rollers 8 on each side of it. The rollers 8 and wedges 9 are guided in a channel bar 7 and the interlocking l11Ql.1 bers are grouped by means of pins 8 passing through recesses in the channel 7 and through the end rollers of each group as set forth in detail in Patent No. 1,031,181 of July 2, 1912.

The movement of the interlocking members is often cumulative in character producing a general shift of the interlock to the right or left. Any resistance to this shift will jam or bind the wedges and blocks and impede the movement of the voting de- .vices. To prevent the guide or channel 7 from opposing the shift of the interlock and to allow it to move therewith, the guide is suspended to freely swing lengthwise from a normal central position. This suspension is provided by pivots 3 and 4 extending backward of the frame plate 1 and carrying dependin links 5 and 6 pivoted at their lower ents to the guide 7 and supporting said guide for free swinging movement lengthwise. The links 5 and 6 will preferably have the same length as the shortest interlocking straps 2 of the machine.

Mounted on the frame plate 1 is the bracket 10 having a roller 11 thereon which engages inside of the channel for the purpose of holding it in proper alinement during its endwise movement. Mounted on the bottom plate of the machine is the bracket 12 carrying dog 13 to engage with the stud 14 on guide 7 and hold the guide against movement.

By the suspending means above described, the guide 7 is normally sustained in a central position for movement in either direction as required by the shift of the interlock. When so moved it swings without friction and imposes no resistance to the movement of the wedges or the shift of the interlock. The substantially parallel links 5 and 6 constrain the guide to a pivotal movement in which it remains always parallel to its normal position, but swings lengthwise and upward following closely the pivotal movement of the lower ends of the suspended straps. There is therefore little relative movement between the interlock and the guide and the parts are maintained in nearly constant relative positions. \Vhen the interlock is reset the wedges move back to their lowermost position and the guide 7 will swing back to its central position. The link suspension provided ofi'ers practically no resistance to the movement of the guide and relieves the interlocking members of any tendency to jam or bind therein. This easy movement of the guide is particularly important as any opposition to the shift of the wedges and blocks is multiplied into serious resistance at the voting devices at the upper ends of the straps.

I claim:

1. In a voting machine, the combination of a frame, separated links extending from said frame, an interlock guide pivotally supported from the ends of said links, and interlocking members supported on said guide, whereby to accommodate the movements of the interlocking actuators and the guide to each other.

2. In a voting machine, the combination movement as required by the pivotal movement of the suspended interlocking actuators, and means carried by said guide for grouping said interlocking members.

3. In an interlocking device, the combination of a guide, means for supporting said guide to give it a. swinging movement, a bracket mounted adjacent to said guide, and a roller mounted on said bracket engaging said guide and holding it against lateral movement but permitting endwise movement thereof.

4. In an interlocking device, the combination of a guide, fixed and movable interlocking members supported by said guide, the interlocking members at the ends of the guide being fixed, wedges embraced by the guide and interlocking with said members, straps for supporting said wedges, and a pivoted link at each end of the guide for supporting said guide, said links being mounted substantially parallel to said straps and being adapted to swing with the guide permitting the guide to swing endwise;

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM J. LAUSTERER.

. Witnesses:

MoLLIn H. SHANAHAN, ETHEL C. MILLER. 

